Adams Atoms Fuses New Goals in Chemistry Department

Mariah Pepe
The Paw Print

Adams State College’s Adam’s Atom keeps charged throughout the year with many activities. The chemistry club is “dedicated to bringing Adams State chemistry students and others to participate in chemistry related activities, community service, and fundraising,” says President Reyna Reyes, who will graduate from Adams State in May 2012.
Adam’s Atom earned its name from its famous “Magic Shows”. The chemistry production features tricks, such as the Rainbow Tube. The Rainbow Tube demonstrates an acid reaction in a clear tube; it changes the pH of the liquids and results in brilliant color changes. Unlike most magic shows, the tricks are explained to create a productive learning experience for the audience. On Oct. 21, the club put on its twentieth annual production in Richardson Hall.
The group hopes to take this event and develop it into a more utilized means of communication with the community. They have recently performed at local senior centers and La Puente, and they are now trying to perform at elementary schools in Monte Vista.
This group also offers free chemistry tutoring on the third floor of the library, and they participate in ASC Cares Day.
Fundraising helps Adam’s Atom achieve the goal of attending the American Chemical Society’s National Conference where students are given the opportunity to present their own work. Although the club is not research oriented, individuals are able to bring their contributions from classes and personal research and present it through the club. This encourages future graduate students to pursue research. Fundraising efforts include selling goggles at the beginning of each semester and t-shirts promoting the club. Every Tuesday and Thursday morning, they sell coffee in Porter Hall.
Eleven students attended last year’s conference and nearly half presented. They all learned about conference procedure and presentation and will implement the techniques with their own research.
The organization is open to all students with an interest in chemistry. They meet at 5 p.m. Tuesdays in Porter Hall room 329.